This Mornin'... Namesake Songs:

Mission Statement....

I decided to start this blog first and foremost for the music. I found myself spending a lot of time reading blogs - but there were so many of my favorite artists that weren't getting enough (or any) attention. So, my solution: start my own blog so I could talk about the artists and topics that I wanted to read about. There is no formal structure to this blog - I simply write about music that makes a certain impact on me. Also, I'm not here to give official album reviews or complete artist bios. I will provide enough info to get you interested, but I'll let the music speak for itself - it's much better than listening to me, anyway. So if you dig the folk/americana/indie scene and want to learn about some artists that don't get the recognition they deserve, keep checkin' back to see what I have to say. Don't be afraid to leave a comment and tell me what you think. Cheers.

Disclaimer

All mp3 files posted here are for sampling purposes only. Take what you want, but move fast because they expire (normally within a month or two). If you like what you hear, go out and support the artists by buying their stuff. If you are the artist/rep and want immediate removal of any file please email me (Payton@ThisMornin.com) directly and I will remove it.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

In The Toolbox: Begonias (2005)

I never have understood the term 'critically acclaimed.' I mean, if the acclaim of critics is important enough to note at every chance, shouldn't people (record companies for one) take their opinions more seriously. The term instead has become a stigmatic warning that equates to one saying "this record didn't sell shit, but I - and a few of my colleagues - really dig it."

But it really is a shame that the opinions of some of the most qualified music aficionados out there fall upon deaf ears. The people that make the decision of 'what should I listen to' for the majority of the country are money-minded, corporate radio operators and mega-conglomerate record execs. This leaves the nation blindly believing that what they hear on their speakers is the best music out there. If only they knew...........

Can you imagine if the Midwest housewife that grew up on a diet of Patsy Cline and Porter Wagoner knew what Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell did for country music back in '05? Well, they made Begonias, a stunningly beautiful REAL country album. By the way - it was critically acclaimed all over the place - just check out this rap sheet.

Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell - Begonias(Yep Roc, 2005)

Caitlin, the velvet-voiced violinist formerly of Whiskeytown, found in Thad a perfectly complimentary tenor tone. Thad Cockrell, the son of a baptist preacher, took to songwriting in college and when the two found themselves looking for work in Raleigh, NC, the pieces just fell into place. Begonias is at once sad, classic country and hopeful, modern folk.The disc strolls in with a modest-tempo tune, Thad leading the way. Immediately you recognize the effortlessness in his upper-range tenor. Caitlin covers the last line in the first verse with angelic harmony, setting the tone for what will prove to be a record of vocal perfection.

Two Different Things

The duo keeps the album fresh with each track; "Something Less Than Something More" unique in its contrast. Heavy steel guitar and haunting vocals are countered by driving tom brushes that keep the song moving. "Second Option" can easily be considered the stand out alt-country tune with an original melody, electric guitar sparingly displayed, and even a timely bridge/solo break. But just as Begonias has picked up speed and lifted spirits, Caitlin drops you to your knees with her a capella intro to "Please Break My Heart." This throwback tune evokes a long-lost Patsy Cline/Buddy Holly collaboration, toeing the line between country gold and doo-wap.

The album highlight comes at track 7. Truly one of the most beautifully written and performed songs I've heard, "Warm and Tender Love" is what country music should sound like. This song simply speaks for itself.Warm and Tender Love

The back half of the disc does have its low points, interestingly coming from the faster-paced songs that come across as hokey. The album, however, finishes very strong. Written from an interesting point of view, "Conversations About A Friend" tells the story of the fate of a pair of lovers from the perspective of the friends that originally set them up. Caitlin and Thad take you back South, where they dread the cold winter days, "Waiting on June." Country music is inherently sad, and this album stays true to that. Not in the clichéd 'my wife left me and my dog died' fashion, but in pure, heartbreaking stories told in the simplest way. Begonias is wrapped up with its saddest effort. Sparse insturmentation allows the couple's dripping vocals to shine in the beginning of this desperate tune, but when the emotion has nowhere else to go, it manifests itself into a full band escort to the "Big House."

Big House

So there's just one more bit of 'critical acclaim' for Caitlin and Thad. It may not get them played on any mainstream radio show, and may only equate to a few more album sales, but if I can get the word out to enough ears, the music will do the work itself.

6 comments:

Thanks for highlighting this amazing disc. I'm proud to say I've owned it since it first came out and it get regular rotation. Along with Cold Rose and Jacksonville City Nights, this made 2005 a banner year.

Nice version of Warm and Tender Love. It's not really a country song. They gave it a country flavor. Percy Sledge recorded Warm and Tender Love back in the 60s. It will always be one of the outstanding soul music songs of that era.